https://github.com/harbaum/fpga-companion

Microcontroller firmware for retro FPGA support MCUs
https://github.com/harbaum/fpga-companion

fpga minimig retrocomputing

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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Microcontroller firmware for retro FPGA support MCUs

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/harbaum/fpga-companion
• Owner: harbaum
• License: apache-2.0
• Created: 2024-06-20T06:54:01.000Z (7 months ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2024-11-08T21:30:20.000Z (about 2 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-11-08T22:26:58.300Z (about 2 months ago)
• Topics: fpga, minimig, retrocomputing
• Language: C
• Homepage:
• Size: 3.07 MB
• Stars: 23
• Watchers: 6
• Forks: 6
• Open Issues: 3
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

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README

        
# MiSTeryNano FPGA Companion

The MiSTeryNano FPGA Companion implements support functions for FPGA

based retro computing projects like [MiSTeryNano

project](https://github.com/harbaum/MiSTeryNano). While the FPGA

typically implements the hardware of the retro machine itself the

Companion uses a microcontroller to add support for modern peripherals

like USB keyboard, mice and SD cards. It also implements an

on-screen-display menu to allow the user to configure the retro

machine.

The FPGA Companion replaces the MiSTeryNano firmware that was

formerly part of the [MiSTeryNano

project](https://github.com/harbaum/MiSTeryNano). It is also

used by the [NanoMig](https://github.com/harbaum/nanomig), the

[C64Nano](https://github.com/vossstef/tang_nano_20k_c64), the

[VIC20Nano](https://github.com/vossstef/VIC20Nano) and the

[A2600Nano](https://github.com/vossstef/A2600Nano).

## Supported MCUs

While the MiSTeryNano was initially designed with a BL616 MCU as the

support MCU the FPGA Companion introduces more flexibility and allows

to choose from different MCUs to act as the support MCU.  From the

FPGAs perspective these behave identical although not all MCUs may

support all functions to the same extent and e.g. the ESP32 is rather

limited when it comes to USB support.

Currently the FPGA Companion can be used with the following MCUs:

 - [M0S/BL616](https://wiki.sipeed.com/hardware/en/maixzero/m0s/m0s.html), see the [build instuctions](src/bl616), and

 - [Raspberry Pi Pico/RP2040](https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/microcontrollers/raspberry-pi-pico.html), see the [build instructions](src/rp2040)

 - [ESP32 S2/S3](https://www.espressif.com/en/products/socs/esp32-s2), see the [build instructions](src/esp32)

## Features and disadvantages of the different MCUs

The inital version of MiSTeryNano relied on the BL616 as a support

MCU.  Some shortcomings of that platform caused the code to be ported

to other MCUs which then may have their own advantages and

disadvantages.

### BL616

  - Pros

    - Very powerful Risc-V CPU

    - USB 2.0 highspeed host support

    - WiFi 6 support

    - Bluetooth 5.2 support

  - Cons

    - Limited SDK support

      - USB needs manual update of the CherryUSB stack

      - No classic Bluetooth support

      - Limited WiFi support

### RP2040

  - Pros

    - Powerful and well-supported SDK

    - Widely available and cheap

    - Fullspeed USB host support

  - Cons

    - No built-in bluetooth and WiFi support

      - Only available via seperate modules (e.g. on Pico(W))

### ESP32-S2/S3

  - Pros

    - Powerful and well-supported SDK

    - Widely available and cheap

    - Built-in Bluetooth and WiFi

  - Cons

    - Very limited USB host support

      - Only one device (no hub)

      - USB stack complex to use